That we may approach Thee acceptably, O God, we would call to mind Thy glorious holiness, and the greatness of Thy grace. Our minds are darkened; sin hath blinded us to what Thou art. Sin hath entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death has passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. The whole creation for our sakes has become subject to vanity. And now for weary months the earth has been wrapped in winter's dullness and death, by reason of earth's indirect relation to the sun. But Thy fullness of time has come, and with it, the springtime of new hope, and life, and beauty. For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle [dove] is heard in our land. The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell; yea, a myriad of graves are opened that the earth may be clothed with fruitfulness and beauty.

We thank Thee for the grace in the garden, for the Lily of the Valley, for the Rose of Sharon; for all the flowers of hope, and joy, and peace, which from that garden-grave have bloomed to fill the earth with the beauty of heaven, and with the fragrance of the King's gardens. We bless Thee for the Light, which, through the opened grave, shines upon this darkened world, bringing life and immortality to light. We thank Thee for the Cross, and for the path of life opened through the valley of the Shadow to yonder City of Light. We delight in the melodies that reach us from Canaan's fair and happy land, where our possessions lie; for the voices of our loved and lost which, through the resurrection, we hear and recognize as calling to the better land.

May this Easter day be filled with the light and the holy joy of the resurrection morning! Come to us, Thou Lord of Life and Light! Dispel the gloom, dissipate the darkness, and flood our souls with the joy that is unspeakable and full of glory. This we pray in the name of our risen Lord, Who ever liveth to make intercession for us. Amen.